Land pulverizer and mulcher



Sept. 4, 1923. 1,467,056

G. P. MIX

LAND PULVERIZER AND MULCHER Original Filed April lO, 1920 -2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WM" @W i \7 QM ATTORNEK' Sept. 4, 1923. 1,467 .056 3. P.IWIX

LAND PULVERIZER AND MULOHER Original Filed April 10, 1920 v2 Sheets-Sheet a o 8 66 I j n. 65

. E JZQ, {A I BY ATTORNEY Patented Sept, 4, 1923.

earnronn P. MIX, or

MOSCOW, IDAHO.

LAND PULVERIZER AND MULCHER.

Application filed April 10, 1920, Serial No. 372,958.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GArNroRo P. MIX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moscow, in the county of Latah and State of Idaho, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Land Pulverizer and Mulcher, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to an implement for preparing ground for crops or for working and improving the surface of ground or soil when desired, the inventionhaving reference more particularly to an implement that isdesigned to level and pulverize farming land and to immediately mulch the land or soil.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved mulcher which shall be so constructed as to be capable of great eflic-ienoy in operation, and not be liable to become clogged with the soil so as to impair the efliciency of the mulcher.

Another object is to provide an improved land pulverizer and mulcher which shall be so constructed as to permit the mulcher frame to be adjustable so as to be freely movable up or down relatively to the pulverizer frame on uneven ground, and to permit the mulcher 'frame to be adjusted relatively to the pulverizer frame so that the mulcher wheels may be'brought closer to the pulverizer roller or wheels, as may be required under different conditions.

A further object is'to provide an im-- proved toothedmulcher wheel which shall be so constructed ing the soil to a uniform depthwithout liability of sinking undesirably deep in the soil, and which when used in a series shall be capable of leaving the ground in the uniform condition behind the mulcher wheels.

A further and more specific object is to provide improved means for connecting a mulcher. frame with a pulverizer frame, and especially so as to provide a great distance between the mulcher wheel shaft and the pivotal center whereby the mulcher frame is connected to the pulverizer frame, and without locating the mulcher wheel-s at a great distance from the pulverizer wheels or roller,while permitting great freedom of action of the mulcher on rough ground and insuring uniform weight of the mulcher upon the ground.

as to be capable of worki the forward beam 2.

Renewed March as, 1923.

I With the jects in view, the invention consists ina pulverizer frame of improved construction,

a mulcher frame of improvedconstruction and improved means --for-connect1ng:the

above-mentioned and other ob I mulcher framewith the pulverizer frame; i

and, the invention consists also further in a novel mulcher wheel, and in the parts and] combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings,F-igure 1 is a top plan of aland pulverizer and mulcher constructed substantially in accordance with the invention, portions being broken away for a clear view of other portions; is a fragmentary top plan showing'portions of the preceding figure on an enlarged scale; Fig. .3 is an elevation .of one of the two end part-s of the pulverizer frame; Fig. 4

Fig. 21

is a fragmentary top plan of the mulcher 7 frame and showing particularly the im: proved mulcher wheel; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the two side parts of the mulcher frame; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the improved pulverizer and mulcher on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section of the mulcher; and, Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section of the pulverizer structure.

Similar reference characters in thedifi'erent figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements orfeatures of construe tion as herein referred to in detail.

As preferably constructed the implement comprises a pole or tongue 1 whereby to pull and guide the implement, beams 2 and 3 secured to the pole, and angle braces 4- and 5 secured tothe pole and to When the structure is designed to constitute the main'one of a plurality of implements or sections, the rearward one of the frame beams is longer than the forward beam and the extended portionsthereof are secured to the braces respectively, in such case the braces being transverse frame extended the required distance, the ends of I the rearward beam being adapted to pull other pulverizers and mulchers or sections similar to the main implement section of a system. also two roller frames which have base portions 6 and 7 respectively secured to the main frame beams 2' and 3. One roller frame has legs 8 and 9 extending from the base portion and a housing portion 10 com The pulverizer frame comprises 1 six nected to the legs; and the companion roller frame has similar legs 11 and 12'and a housing portion 13. Each housing portion is provided with clamp-bolts 1e and 15 to which a housing cap 16 is connected to secure journal box parts 17 and 18 thereto. Preferably two angle braces 19 and 20 are secured to the rearward frame beam 3 and to the rearward leg of the roller frames respectively, each leg preferably having a projecting ear 21 to which the brace is directly secured. The forward portion of one roller frame has a lug ear 22 and the forward portion of the companion roller frame has a similar lug ear '23 thereon, the lug ears preferably projecting forward from the forward legs of the roller frame. The outer side of the base portion 6, adjacent to the leg 9, has an outward extending guide shoulder 2% to which a curved guide 25 is connected that extends opposite to the rearvard leg 9 and is connected to the housing portion 10, so that the rearward leg'is adapted to constitute a guide bar. Similarly the base portion 7 of the companion frame has a shoulder 26 thereon to which a guide bar 27 is connected that extends downward opposite to the rearward leg 12 and is con nected to the housing part 13, so that the leg 12 is adapted to constitute a guide bar. A roller shaft 28 is mounted in the journal boxings that are in the two roller frames, the shaft preferably having collars 29 and 30 thereon adjacent to the journal boXings. l u'lverizer rollers or wheels 31 and 32 and other similar rollers or wheels 31. 32. are

mounted side by side on the roller shaft,

and each roller or wheel has a circumferential rib 33 thereon ada )ted for crushing or breaking up clods, so that the soil shall be not only rolled evenly but pulverized by the land roller formed of the series of rollers or wheels. The pole or tongue has a suitable seat spring 34: thereon which supports a seat- 35 for the driver or operator.

The mulcher frame comprises two arms 36 and 37, one arm being arranged between the leg 9 and the guide bar '25, the other arm being arranged between the leg 12 and the guide bar 27 and extending to the outer side of the lug ears 22 and 23 respectively. The forward portion of one arm has pivot holes 38, 39, 10, therein, the remaining arm similarly having pivot holes 38, 40', there in, and bushings ll, 41', are provided which are insertable loosely into either one of the pivot holes, the bushing being slightly longer than the hole. The bushings are tightly secured to the outer side of the lug ears 22 and 23 respectively by means of pivot bolts 42 and 42' having heads 43 and 43 respectively, washers 4e and 44; on the bolts against the outer end of the bushings respectively, andnuts s5 and 45 on the bolts and against'thewashers, so that strong pivots are provided for the arms :of the mulcher frame. The arms being pivoted on the forward portions of the pulverizer frame, have a long reach rearward over the pulverizer shaft and beyond the rearward portion ofthe pulverizer frame. The arms 36 and 37 have housing members i6 and 47 respectively on their rearward ends to which caps 48 and 48 are respectively secured. Each of he housings contain boxing parts it) and 50 in which bearing members 51 and 52 are embraced. A mulcher shaft 53 is mounted in the bearing members of the two frame arms and preferably has collars "5% adjacent to the boXings. A suitable humber of mulcher wheels, 55, 55, 56, 56' are arranged on the 'mulcher shaft 53. Each mulcher wheel has a long hub 57 and a web or spokes 58 and also a rim 59 which is of suitable width to afford support for the wheel on the ground. The rim has a series of teeth or projections 60, 60 that extend radially from one edge of the rim and another series of teeth or projections 61, 61' that extend radially from the opposite edge of the rim, all the teeth'orprojectionsibeing pointed. The teeth in each series are spaced equi-dista nt apart, and the teeth of each series are in non-opposite arrangement relatively to the teeth of the opposite se ries, the teeth of the two series thus being in staggered arrangement so as to not be liable to hold the soil between them but enabling the wheel'tohave a broad range of action and thoroughly work the maximum amount of surface of the soil.

The arm 36 hasstandards62and 63 thereon above the housing portion 46 and a seat bar 6 f on the top of the standards; and the arm 37 has standards 62 and 63 and the seat bar 6d, the seat bars supporting a weight plank 65 which is "secured'to the seat bars by bolts 66 and 66', respectively. Suitable'weight elements, as will 'be understood, may be carried upon the weight plank 65 to enable the mulcher wheels to properly work the soil, the amount of weightbeing varied according to the condition of thesoil or the results desired.

When it is desired to draw other sections so as to pulve'rize and mulch abroad areaat one operation, the frame beam 3 is provided at its ends with hooks 67 and 68 to which suitable tongues or draft poles '69 and 70 of the trailing implements are respectively connected.

In practical use'thelp'ow'er to'pull the pulverizer and 'mulcher ahead is hitched to the pole or tongue '1, and as the implement is moved forward the land roller, which practically is gr'ooved,pulverizes and levels "the soil and is followed by the mulche'r which thoroughly mulche's 'or works the soil. The

"mulcher "wheel shaft -is arranged at the minimum distance permissible back of'the Cii roller shaft, so that the implement may be readily turned at the ends of fields, and the arms of the mulcher frame being very long permits the mulcher to freely rise or fall on the uneven ground; and if the pole 1 be depressed at its end the pulverizer frame is tilted until the arms of the mulcher frame may be lifted by contact with the top of the housing portions 10 and 13, so that the mulcher may be carried by the pulverizer frame free from the ground, as may be de sirable when turning at the ends of a field. lVhen desired the effective length of the mulcher frame arms may be adjusted by shifting the pivot bolts to different pivot holes in the arms.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A land pulverizer and mulcher including a pulverizer frame, two roller frames secured to the pulverizer frame, a guide tongue secured to the pulverizer frame, a roller supporting the roller frames, a mulcher shaft with mulchers thereon, and a mulcher frame comprising two arms supported on the mulcher shaft and adjustably connected pivotally to the roller frames respectively, the arms having standards thereon respectively and a broad weight-carrying plank supported by the standards and extending over and nearly covering all of the mulchers to variably load the mulchers.

2. A land pulverizer and mulcher including a pulverizer frame having two roller frames provided each with two guide bars on the rearward portion and a lug ear on the forward portion thereof, each lug ear having a pivot rigid thereon, a roller supporting the roller frames, a mulcher shaft with mulchers thereon, and a mulcher frame having two arms supported on the mulcher shaft and extending between the guide bars of the roller frames respectively, each arm having a plurality of pivot holes of which one receives one of the pivots on the lug ear whereby the arms are adjustably connected to vary their effective length to the lug ears respectively.

3. In a land pulverizer and mulcher, the combination with a main frame, of two roller frames secured to the main frame and having each a shaft housing, a roller mounted in the shaft housings, a mulcher rearward of the roller and having two arms extending above and forward of the shaft housings, each arm having a pivot hole adjacent to its end, two bushings loosely arranged in the pivot holes of the arms respectively, and two pivot bolts extending through the bushings respectively and securing the bushings rigidly to the roller frames respectively, the bolts having devices retaining the arms in connection with the bushings respectivel 4. In a land pulverizer and mulcher, the combination of a main frame with a draft tongue, two roller frames secured to the main frame and having each a housing, the forward portion of each roller frame having a lug ear and the rearward portion of the frame having a guide bar thereon, each guide bar having connection with the upper portion of the roller frame and also with the housing, two pivots connected to the lug ears respectively, a pulverizer shaft connected with the housings, pulverizer rollers on the pulverizer shaft cumferential rib thereon, a mulcher shaft, a plurality of mulcher wheels on the mulcher shaft, each mulcher wheel having a rim provided with laterally-staggered teeth, and

and having each a cir two arms supported on the mulcher shaft and extending adjacent to and past the guide bar on the roller frames respectively and to the lug ears respectively, the arms having connection with the pivots respectively.

5. In a land combination of tongue, two roller frames secured to the main frame and having each a housing, the forward portion of each roller frame having a lug ear thereon, two pivots connected to the lug ears respectively, a pulverizer shaft connected with the housings, pulverizer rollers on the pulverizer shaft, a mulcher shaft, a plurality of mulcher wheels on the mulcher shaft and having each a rim provided with laterally-staggered teeth, two arms supported on the mulcher shaft and extending over the housings to the lug ears respectively the arms having connection with the pivots respectively. each arm having two-standards spaced apart thereon with a seat bar connected at its ends to the standards, and a weight carrying plank secured upon the seat bars to variably load the arms or to unload and permit them to be carried upon the housings respectively.

pulverizer and mulcher, the a main frame with a draft I In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1 in presence of two witnesses.

GAINFOR-D P. MIX.

Witnesses:

AMALIE BAKING, GEO. E. HORTON. 

